The Break-Up
The Break-Up is the 4th episode of season four. It aired on October 4, 2012. Rachel is first seen in The Break-Up, getting out of her bedroom to see a fully-awake Kurt cooking eggs. She greets Kurt with a tired voice. "Somebody slept late..." Kurt replies back, telling her it's lunch time too. Rachel ties her gown and tells Kurt that she didn't go to bed 'til late. "Thank God for ear plugs... I love you both, but I didn't want to hear any of that..." Kurt says, assuming they had sex. But instead, he gets another reply. "We didn't do anything...He didn't even talk to me... We just like... laid there..." Rachel admits. Kurt looks a bit worried as Finn walks out of the bedroom around the corner. Kurt sees him and quickly finds a way to get out and leave Finn and Rachel alone. I'm gonna take this to the park and watch drug deals go down!" Kurt exclaims, greeting Finn. "It's good to see you too, little brother," Finn says with a grin. Rachel pulls out loaves of bread and asks if Finn is hungry, to see if she can make him some eggs. Finn says yes and thanks her as he takes a look at her and Kurt's large apartment and compliments her on the decoration and the finding of the apartment. "It's not an ideal... neighbourhood, but at least we can.. sort of see Manhattan," Rachel says, pointing towards the curtains. She stares down but in seconds, she turns around, can't taking it anymore. "I can't do this Finn...I can't understand, I don't know what's going on. Why are you here and why aren't you in your uniform..?" she asks. "Because I'm not in the army," Finn replies back. Finn admits that he WAS in the army for 16 days. The scene then flashes back to Finn in the army, being yelled at and trying to prepare a gun, but instead, shooting himself in the thigh. Finn was then sent out of the army and he explains it to Rachel, who looks worried as she watches him take a seat. He apologises for not calling her but it was because he was so embarrassed. "I mean I left with so much.. certainty a-and... confidence...I was gonna redeem my dad and make you proud...I couldn't face you seeing me as a Lima loser," Finn says. But Rachel cuts him, saying enough is enough. She says that, so what, the army didn't work out and plans change. She explains that he's here now, with her in the greatest city in the whole world, and it's a better place to help Finn find himself a new dream. Finn questions her, "like what?" She walks towards him, saying he applied to PACE before joining the army, to be an actor, which was obviously not the right school for him, but maybe NYADA is the right school for him. She suddenly says with a tone of optimism and says that he should attend all her NYADA classes this week and if he loves it there, he can move in here. She promises that she'll stay the whole year in New York with him, trying to find a way to bring him in. He asks if she's serious, with a cute grin, and she sits on top of him. "I love it here, but something here has always been missing...I let you go once and...and I'm not gonna let it happen again." They give each other glances and for the first time since Goodbye, they share a kiss. After a small phone call between Kurt and Blaine, Rachel is seen doing activities in a NYADA class as Finn watches at the back. Finn comments on her actions, calling her amazing and never so alive as this before. Finn talks about how Rachel has found the place where she belongs and where she is able to thrive, but Finn wishes he could find a place too because he definitely doesn't belong at NYADA. He says he'll never get into NYADA and what will he do in New York (run a Hot Cart outside Madison Square Garden?) He shakes his head. He comments on how he used to be the man of Rachel's dreams but now they're not even in the same world. The camera zooms from Rachel doing stretches as the music to Barely Breathing begins. Blaine and Finn duet have their own relationship problems, and in this case, as Finn sings, he watches Rachel participate in NYADA classes, dance, talk, stretch and kiss him before she goes to class. She's seen dancing with her fellow NYADA classmates, curling her hair as she laughs and Finn sits at the back, squinting and befuzzled. At the end of the performance, Finn looks dazed but Rachel laughs, runs towards him and hugs him. Later, Finn, Rachel and Kurt are back at their apartment. Finn exclaims that he won't wear a suit at a night out in New York City, Rachel laughing as she looks at Kurt. Kurt says he should wear gagged jeans and rugby shirts to "Callbacks". Finn asks what's "Callbacks" to which Rachel chimes in. "This amazing bar that all the NYADA students go to and Friday nights are the best because everybody gets up and sings and we're going tonight and it's gonna be great!" she says with much happiness, clapping too. Finn looks a bit confused again and offended at the same time. Finn continually asks if he has to dress up to go to a karaoke bar and Kurt tells him that he should, especially when he sings "Don't Stop Believing" or something "equally uplifting". Finn hesitates, saying he is so out of practise and he hasn't sang in the shower since Nationals. Rachel's grin turns into a frown as she watches him lie his head upon the couch. At that moment, the door knocks, revealing it to be Blaine. Kurt is confused as Blaine should be here in two weeks, but Blaine just missed Kurt, making it a sweet reunition. Rachel and Finn hug Blaine too, Rachel laughing and grinning. "Guys, FANTASTIC! We're all together.. HERE! Just like the good ol' days!" Rachel squeals excitedly as she looks at each of them, eyes full of happiness. At Callbacks, Finn and Rachel are seen ordering their drinks. They give each other a loving stare before Brody interrupts, greeting Finn and Rachel. Finn shakes his hand and says "Brody, good to see you again man!" Rachel watching enthusiastically. Brody nods and agrees, but Finn knows something is up, especially with what happened at the ending of the last episode...Brody asks how everything with Finn and Rachel is going so far, Rachel explaining about her and Finn's full NYADA class experience together. She leans in as Finn shakes her. Brody suggests Finn sing at Callbacks. "You haven't really been to NYADA until you've sung at Callbacks." Rachel, with puppy eyes, tells Brody that she's been begging Finn to sing Give Your Heart a Break by Demi Lovato, but Finn says he isn't a student. Brody says that since Finn is with Rachel, it makes him honourary, and Brody is buddies with Pasco, the piano man. Rachel chimes in, saying the song works better as a duet. But Finn breaks in with all the conversation and suggests that maybe Brody and Rachel should sing it together. "It's a NYADA tradition, right? You guys are both NYADA students!" Finn says. There's almost a tone of sarcasm and jealousy in his voice as he says it, making Rachel go, "Finn..." Brody then says, "Yeah, alright, let's do it," agreeing with Finn. Rachel's head goes up and she smiles as she stares at Finn. "I love you!" Rachel says, kissing Finn once more. He then lets her go to sing. At the stage, Rachel is heard saying, "I'm so nervous, it's my offline Broadway debut!" Brody reassures her that he has her back. The piano starts playing as Rachel sings the first few lines of Give Your Heart a Break. Finn watches as he walks and sits over, near Blaine and Kurt. He can see Rachel's eyes, filled with happiness and laughter as she duets with Brody. Finn looks away, looking upset and hurt, but stays and listens to the lyrics. Rachel and Brody stand and sing the song, holding microphones. She constantly gives large smiles, staring at the audience and at Brody. There is chemistry and history between the two that even Finn can catch and it even looks as if the lyrics are directed at Finn, as he slowly takes it in. After the duet, Rachel runs from the stage as applause rings through the room. She excitedly tells Finn, Blaine and Kurt that it's amazing up there and they should do a Sweeney Todd mega medley. Kurt disagrees but Blaine wants to sing. Brody nudges Blaine to just go to tell Pasco (also nicknamed Pascell). As Blaine gets off his chair, Rachel is seen asking Finn if she was good, to which he says yes and she squeals, hugging him tightly. Blaine dedicates the song to Kurt, his first song he sung when he met Kurt. Rachel grins at the dedication and looks over at Kurt. Blaine plays the piano and sings an emotionally covered and acoustic version of Katy Perry's Teenage Dream. During the solo, Finn and Rachel are seen, closely packed, Finn taking in more lyrics as hugs Rachel tightly. Rachel smiles, but Finn still has that confused and thoughtful expression. Rachel is seen, watching Blaine closely as Blaine sings his heart out. After the performance; Finn, Rachel, Kurt and Blaine are walking down a New York City park lane. Blaine and Kurt facing their own relationship problems as Finn and Rachel's begins to be tested. "So, you and your friend sounded great together," Finn compliments Rachel. "I wish you had gotten up there and sang with me!" Rachel says, still having that happy glow upon her face. But Finn says he doesn't fit in here because New York is just too big and the transition is just too fast and there are plenty of people here that are more talented. But Rachel disagrees, saying she felt that way when she first moved here, alone. After a scene with Blaine and Kurt, Finn asks if Rachel's sure that him and that Brody guy are just friends. Rachel says, "I-I told you-" But Finn cuts her off. The smiley grin is wiped off her face now. "P-please, don't lie to me," Finn says in a harsh tone. Rachel then slips and admits it. "I-I.. I couldn't get in touch with you okay? I-I...well, you weren't answering my calls or my text messages...I didn't know where you were! How would I know if you were okay?" Rachel says quickly. But that doesn't even bother Finn. "So you were with him..?" Finn says hurt and disappointed. Rachel admits that she kissed him and that was it. Finn shakes the image out of his head. Rachel tries to talk to him but Finn just can't take it anymore. Finn said that he can't believe he said that, and that he was so stupid. After Blaine reveals and admits something, it leaves both Kurt and Blaine in tears, then Finn begins singing Don't Speak. Rachel watches Finn walk away as Blaine begins to sing, watching Kurt walk away. Rachel stands behind, distraught. Then after Blaine sings, Rachel and Kurt walk together, singing their lines as the pairs follow each other. As Finn stands near a fountain, Rachel walks towards him. But when Finn turns, he faces her once again, walking away, disappointed. Blaine and Kurt sing near the fountain together too, before Kurt leaves, Blaine and Rachel left at the fountain. The scene cuts as Finn and Kurt sing at their New York City apartment. Rachel and Blaine join them later. The four sing, all four of them, upset, guilty, sad, angry and distraught altogether. At the end, the couples face away from each other as they lay in bed, turning off the lights without speaking to each other before bed, just as the songs title says, "Don't Speak". Rachel has tears running down her eyes as she is the last one to close the lamp near her. In the morning after a dramatic night, Finn is seen leaving, Kurt catching him. Kurt tells him that he can't just run away. Finn says he'll talk to Rachel about it later as he has to get away for a bit. Finn saying he misses high school a bit sometimes, hinting that he may be going somewhere familiar. He asks Kurt to hug him before he leaves. They share a hug and he takes a few steps towards the door when Kurt asks him whether Finn wants him to say anything to Rachel. Finn says no as he slides the door open and he leaves. Rachel is mentioned once again when Finn is back at McKinley. He hugs Mr. Schue as Will welcomes him back and asks how was the army and why he isn't there, to which Finn explains it didn't work out so well. "Have you spoken to Rachel? She's been worried sick about you," Will explains. But Finn has ignores that and says it's so good to see Mr. Schue. Then Finn asks if he can talk to him about something, and that's when Finn hugs him and breaks down emotionally. It's towards the end of the episode when Rachel is seen again. In the April Rhodes Civic Pavilion, Finn is looking through sheet music on the stage when Rachel walks onto the stage, surprising Finn. "This is where you proposed to me..." is what Rachel says first. She talks about their first date here on the stage and also where they first met. She asks if he remembers it, and Finn nods. "Yeah. Glee rehearsal.. you um.. you really freaked me out!" Rachel crosses her arms as she walks over to the centre stage and says this place is kind of their Jerusalem, because all roads just seem to lead them back here. She says she went to his house, the tyre shop but she would've imagined that he would be here though. "I know it feels kind of weird but I just felt like singing up here..." Finn says. "Seems to help me to have figured out stuff before so.." His voice fades as he walks to the stands. "Yeah, I would've just come here first, if you would've picked up your phone or answered my text messages. Instead I had to get on a plane and drive around town, LOOKING for you like an idiot," Rachel says defiantly. Finn apologises. "I just needed time to think." And this is where the beginning of the real drama starts. "You had FOUR months! I hated you for what you did to me at that train station!" Rachel yells. Finn tries to argue back to say he was trying to help, but... " I HATED YOU!" Rachel screams, infuriated. "But when I got to New York, I thought.. how much you loved me.. and how HARD that must've been for you! And I thought... THIS.... THIS is what a MAN looks like. This is how a man LOVES." Tears form in her eyes through each word said aloud. "But you, not telling me where you were for FOUR MONTHS, and sneaking up before sunrise in the middle of the night without saying hi, that is NOT being a man, Finn!" "I'm trying to give you your freedom!" Finn tries to yell back. But Rachel lets it all out. "I DON'T NEED YOU TO GIVE ME MY FREEDOM. I AM A GROWN WOMAN. I DON'T NEED YOU TO HIDE FROM ME, TO KEEP ME FROM DOING WHAT IS RIGHT FOR ME." Finn, eyes full of hurt, says, "Like that Brody guy?" "I didn't DO Brody, okay? And don't you think that I'd rather have been with you!" Rachel says back. "But didn't you say that he was on Broadway? He has like 3% body fat? WHO AM I? I barely even graduated high school and my life has absolutely NO direction." "Don't you get it? No matter how rich or...famous.... or successful I become, when it comes to you...I'm.. I'm always gonna be that moon-eyed girl who... freaked you out on that first Glee rehearsal..." Rachel says in a shaky tone. Her hands come up, surrendering and giving up. "You were the first boy who made ME feel LOVED... and sexy...a-and visible..." Tears run down her cheek as she manages to say the words that have been so hard to speak. "You are my first love...and I want more than anything for you to be my last." She sniffles and stares him right in the face as the drops come running after one another down her face. "But I can't do this anymore. At least not now." She shakes her head and spits out the words, "We're done." "Wow," Finn manages to whimper out. "What am I gonna do with my life..I-I don't have my girl, I don't have a job and I don't have a place in this world..." Rachel smiles through her sad expression and says, "You have you!" She walks towards him. "And that's better than anyone else on the planet as far as I'm concerned." She nods and he nods and they share a final kiss as she departs the auditorium. Finn walks to the centre stage as the music to, The Scientist, begins. Finn begins to sing as Blaine, Santana, Kurt, Brittana, Emma and Will appear altogether, singing the song with shaky voices and sad tones. When it comes to relationships being tested, it isn't always easy, but it was never said to be that hard. Finally, Rachel sings near Finn and as she does, it flashes back to their first kiss in the auditorium in the Pilot episode, for Blaine and Kurt, their first time they meet at Dalton in Never Been Kissed, Santana and Brittany, their little moments in the choir room during Heart, and, Emma and Will, their first kiss at the end of the episode Sectionals. The song progresses and finally, towards the end, glances are given before the camera turns and the light shines down on Finn, everyone else gone, revealing that The Scientist was sung by himself. The episode comes to an end. Navigational Category:Episodes Category:Episodes in season four Category:Episodes for Finchel Category:Episodes against Finchel